Respiratory device for rebreathing carbon dioxide



G. EXLER 3,513, RESPIRATORY DEVICE FOR REBREATHING CARBON DIQXIDE May 26, 1970 Filed July 7, 1967 FIG. 3.

FIG. 2.

mvsmoa GERTRUD E EXLER L/ United States Patent 3,513,843 RESPIRATORY DEVICE FOR REBREATHING CARBON DIOXIDE Gertrude Exler, 45 Haney Ave., Toronto 9, Ontario, Canada Filed July 7, 1967, Ser. No. 651,834 Int. Cl. A61m 15/00 US. Cl. 128202 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A respiratory device for self administration to regulate the carbon dioxide level of inhalation consisting of a nose-mouth mask connected to an inflatable sack; of readily variable size to adjust the same to the breathing capacity of the user, said sack having an adjustable twoway flow breather valve and a one-way outlet'valve.

This invention relates to a respiratory device and appertains particularly to one for regulating the carbon dioxide level of the air inhaled.

All animals including man ingest oxygen and exhale part of it in the form of carbon dioxide. Since the blood fixes and transports these gases to and fromthe lungs it normally contains carbon dioxide. It is a property of this gas that it maintains a beneficial acid-base balance in the blood, i.e., it acts as a buffer to maintain what is known as the bicarbonate level. Disturbance of this system leads to physical distress and to ill health.

The medicines which are normally administered to reestablish the bicarbonate level are now taken orally or parenterally. It is an axiom of the field of medicine that should be minimized as much as possible.

My respiratory device makes possible the avoidance of such side effects by the expedient of a natural way to restore the bicarbonate level without the ingestion of drugs. It is known that the rate of carbon dioxide loss from the body is regulated at least in part by the breathing rate. According to the present invention, part of the exhaled carbon dioxide is retained in a collecting sack and admixed with fresh air is returned to the lungs so as to increase the carbon dioxide concentration in the alveoli and thence to the blood.

To accomplish this desired end, my inhalation apparatus comprises a nose-mouthpiece connected by tubing with an inflatable sack having an adjustable breather valve and a one-way outlet valve. The size of the sack is easily variable to match the breathing capacity of the individual and the adjustable breather valve may be set by the user to admit the proper amount of fresh air to admix with the retained part of the exhaled carbon dioxide to provide the desired carbon dioxide level in the air inhaled. In this way, a steady state can be maintained in which the user of the device is generating carbon dioxide from oxygen and food by the ordinary metabolic process and is enabled at the same time to enjoy an inhalation intake of such relatively high carbon dioxide concentration as may be found to be therapeutically beneficial.

It it an object of the invention to provide an inhalation apparatus for self-administration that will enable the user to balance his carbon dioxide intake to his need and so afford relief to physical distress.

A further object is to provide such a respiratory device with a breather valve that regulates the admission of fresh air and also positively prevents any possibility of suffocation.

A still further object is the provision of a respiratory device that is of simple, foolproof and durable construction and yet capable of manufacture at reasonable" cost, whereby the same is rendered commercially desirable.

3,513,843 Patented May 26, 1970.

To the accomplishment of these and related objects as shall become apparent as the description proceeds, the lnvention resides in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as shall be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and ,pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

The invention will be best understood and can be more clearly described when reference is had to the drawings forming a part of this disclosure wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevation of the device in use;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the breather valve with parts thereof broken away;

FIG. 3 is a vertical transverse section therethrough;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the outlet valve; and

FIG. 5 is a vertical transverse section therethrough.

In the illustrated form of the device, an inflatable sack 1 is employed, preferably made of soft, lightweight plastic in cylindrical form. It is connected in leak-proof relation with the down turned annual flange 2 of a cylinder top end member 3 that is of rigid form but may also be of plastic. A cylinder bottom end member 4 may likewise be of lightweight rigid plastic and also has a depending peripheral flange 5. This bottom end member, however, is of slightly smaller diameter so as to fit inside the soft flexible cylinder 1 and is thus adjustable vertically therein, i.e., toward or away from the top end member 3 and thus enables the capacity of the sack to be varied as desired. To this end the plastic cylinder is connected in leak-proof relation to the bottom end member 4 by a releasable encircling elastic band 6 or the like that compresses the depending skirt of the plastic cylinder 1 against the said depending peripheral flange 5. An axially disposed guide stem 7 connected by its base to the bottom end member 4 extends upwardly through a bore in the top end member 3 through which it has leak-proof but free sliding movement.

A conventional mask 8 designed to fit snugly over the users nose and mouth is connected by a tube or similar conduit 9 with the sack 1, entering through the top end member 3. Thus as the user inhales the soft flexible sack 1 collapses with the stem 7 rising through the top end member 3 and as he exhales, the sack is inflated. To retain in the sack the desired amount of the exhaled breath and to admit to the sack and admix with the retained exhalation the desired amount of fresh air, a breater valve 10 is provided in the top end closure member 3 and a one-way outlet valve 11 is provided in the bottom end closure member 4.

Breather vlave 10 has a cylindrical body 12 with one closed end 13. An axial bolt 14 secures a bottom plate 15 that clamps the valve to the top end member 3 about the perimeter of an opening 16 therein. A number of perforations 17 extend through this plate 15 and a ring of perforations 18 extend through the top closed end 13. A cover plate 19 overlies the closed end 13 and is mounted for rotatable movement thereon, having a corresponding ring of perforations 20 designed in set position to register with the perforations 18 in the end 13. In addition, the cover plate 19 has an elongated arcuate slot 21 overlying an extra perforation 22 in the end 13 to provide an always open port if the plate 19 be turned in either direction to completely close the passages provided by the corresponding rings of perforations 18 in the ends 13 and 20 in the plate 19. To limit the rotation of plate 19 on the cylindrical body 12, a stop pin 23 extends radially inward from a depending flange 24 on the plate to ride in a short slot 25 cut in the circumference of the cylindrical body 12. The mounting of the plate 19 over the closed end 13 of the cylinder 12 is effected by two pairs of half rings 26 in stacked and non-registering rotative position disposed in a circumferential trough 27 in the cylinder 12 and of a diameter to extend radially beyond the cylinder wall and secured against radial displacement by machine screws 28 that pass through the plate 1.9. Thus it will be seen that according to the setting of the perforatedrotative cover plate 19, a variable amount of two-way flow through the breather valve is permitted but at all times, irrespective of the setting of the adjustable cover plate 19, uninterrupted passage of a minimal required flow through the registering arcuate slot 21 and perforations 22 is assured.

The outlet valve 11 consists of a cylindrical body with an exterior flange 30 spaced from the upper face that engages the underside of a valve accommodating opening 31 in the bottom end member 4 and is secured thereto by a fastening ring 32 that has tight fitting grip on the cylinder wall above the flange 30. The cylinder carries an open spider web 33 by the center of which a rivet 34 attaches a flexible diaphragm 35 to the under side. A bottom cover 36 has a high flange 37 that snaps on over the circumferentially reduced lower end of the cylinder wall and this cover is provided with lateral passageways 38. As the user exhales and the sack 1 is inflated, excess gas passes out through the valve 11 by way of the spider web 33, the opening of the flexible diaphragm 35 and the side wall passages 38 in the bottom cover 36. It will be noted that the diaphragm is shown intensioned, partially flexed ararngernent; alternatively or in addition it may be spring seated.

In use, it will be obvious that by sizing the sack to the users breathing capacity and gradually adjusting the breather valve to produce the desired inhalent mixture of exhaled carbon dioxide and fresh air. The user is enabled to find breathing relief and alleviation of physical distress caused by too great an ingestion of oxygen and to obtain and stabilize a desirable bicarbonate level.

This respiratory device is also easily adaptable for use in the administration of an anesthetic.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A respiratory device, for self administration, to regulate the carbon dioxide level of inhalation comprising an inflatable sack with a top end member and a bottom end member sealingly engaging said sack to define an enclosure, a mask to cover the nose and mouth of the user; and a conduit connecting said sack and mask to provide communication with said enclosure; a two-way flow breather valve and a one-way outlet valve located in said top end member and said bottom end member respectively, wherein the top end member is permanently attached to the sack in leak-proof relation and said bottom end member is movably positioned inside said sack and a releasable encircling band compresses the sack to said interiorly disposed bottom end member.

2. The respiratory device according to claim 1, having an axial stem rising from said bottom end member and projecting through said top end member in free sliding, leak-proof relation.

1 3. A respiratory device, for self administration, to regulate the carbon dioxide level of inhalation comprising an inflatable sack with a top end member and a bottom end memebr sealingly engaging said sack to define an enclosure, a mask to cover the nose and mouth of the user; and a conduit connecting said sack and mask to provide communication with said enclosure; a two-way flow breather valve and a one-way outlet valve located in said top' end member and said bottom end member respectively, wherein said breather valve is removably clamped about an opening in said sack, said valve including a cylindrical body with a circumferential trough and bolt connected perforated ends, one end inside and the other outside said sack, a perforated cover plate overlying the perforated outer end and rotatable with respect thereto, two pairs of half rings in stacked non-registering rotative position in the circumferential trough in said cylinder and machine screws securing said plate to said half rings.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,241,535 5/1941 Boothby et al. 128-202 XR 3,366,108 1/1968 Blackburn et al. 128202 XR 733,027 7/1903 Goldan 128209 2,007,330 7/1935 Hicks 128-202 2,321,256 6/1943 Shelton 12820S 2,893,387 7/ 1959' Gongoll et al 128-4465 3,028,873 4/1962 Kindred 128211 3,395,699 8/1968 Beas ey l28-2.08

FOREIGN PATENTS 689,788 6/ 1930 France.

18,777 1893 Great Britain. 18,492 1912 Great Britain.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner K. L. HOWELL, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 128-205, 211 

